SDLP's Carmel Hanna To Step Down After 9th December

It has just been revealed that the SDLP's South Belfast MLA Carmel Hanna is to step down. A selection convention will take place on 9th December. Carmel was first elected an MLA in 1998 and was appointed Employment & Learning from the end of 2001.

According to party rules, prospective candidates need to have their names with Headquarters two weeks before the selection convention. Names that have been suggested include Balmoral Branch Chair Conall McDevitt and Bernie Kelly, a councillor in the area. The selection convention will be conducted using PR-STV.

Outgoing SDLP Leader Mark Durkan commented: "Carmel Hanna has served her constituents of South Belfast, the people of Northern Ireland, the wider SDLP with dignity, determination and dedication during a distinguished political career as a councillor, Assembly Member and as a Minister.

"During this time she has remained steadfastly committed to social democracy and peaceful politics.

"She brought immense professionalism to the SDLP Assembly team with her expertise in the field of health and she has been a long-standing supporter of international development.

"I am proud to have appointed her as a Minister because she has displayed in how she thinks and what she says a strong public service ethic.

"On behalf of everyone in the SDLP I want to wish her all the best for the future."

Seeing Sense Over Smoking Fines

I'm a strong supporter of the smoking ban. Coming home after a night out smelling of ashtray and having your clothes pockmarked by cigarette burns thanks to the flailing arms of drunk smokers in nightclubs was never particularly pleasant. And for workers having to inhale noxious fumes every night in pubs and clubs it was even worse.

However, some things can go too far, and when people are penalised for lighting up when sitting in their vehicle alone, that is the case. The point of the ban is to protect people from inhaling passive smoke- if people aren't present to inhale smoke passively, then why should the smoker be fined?

Thanksfully, it has been reported in today's Irish News that a woman in Armagh has successfully appealed a £50 penalty for lighting up in her car. Lynda Wright won the case against Armagh City and District Council, which had fined her for smoking in the workplace i.e. the car she used to conduct driving lessons. However, there was no one in the car with her at the time, so the only person forced to breathe poisonous gases was her.

Sometimes it seems that legitimate government policy is pished to the extreme by jobsworths who end up undermining the whole point of the exercise. Hopefully now council officials will target those who actually do pose a threat to others with their smoke, and leave alone those who want to endanger their own lives in the privacy of their own car or van when there's no one else present.

Calling Time On Cóir Crap

Southern foreign minister Micheál Martin has challenged Cóir to withdraw a poster in which they suggest that the minimum wage could be reduced to €1.84 if the Lisbon Treaty is passed in this Friday's referendum. Anybody with a bit of sense would realise the claim being made by Cóir (followed by a question mark as if so absolve themselves of any responsibility for putting such nonsense in the public arena) is nonsense, although it seems that some voters have raised it as a concern, hence Martin speaking out.

Cóir has responded by saying that Martin's comments revealed the minister's "desperation and absolute inability to debate on the issue."

To be fair, I don't think they should be questioning anyone's debating skills when their idea of 'debate' is to erect copious numbers of posters emblazoned with scaremongering claims. And if I'm not mistaken, I've seen plenty of politicians from the southern government and other pro-Lisbon parties debate the issues, such as on Prime Time last week.

If there was one good reason to vote 'Yes' this Friday, it's to wipe the smug off the faces of Cóir.

Four More Years!

It briefly escaped my attention, but I've just realised that El Blogador has passed its fourth birthday. It doesn't seem like that long since the site has started amidst a period of loyalist street violence and political uncertainty. A lot has happened in the meantime, not least the return of the Assembly. I'd like to think we've made some small contribution to the online political discourse here over those four years, and although I have admittedly neglected to post as much recently as I ought to have done, it's my intention to rev up the old engine of Irish Nationalism on here again and get things moving on the site.

Go raibh maith agaibh.

Disgusting Partitionism by 'National' Dairy Council

In yet another act of pro-partitionism from a southern organisation, the National (sic) Dairy Council is introducing a new mark on milk and cream packaging to show consumers it has been sourced and processed in the 26 counties.

According to RTÉ, the initiative is designed to protect the livelihoods of farmers and workers in the dairy industry in the Republic, and major companies such as Glanbia and Kerry Group are supporting the move.

The report also says that NDC Chief Executive Helen Broffey denied suggestions that the move is part of a cross-boarder economic war and rejected claims that it flies in the face of North/South co-operation in agriculture.

How else can it be described? They are seeking to delineate between southern products and northern products. It would seem that some Irish produce is more Irish than others in their eyes.

Also, I'd be interested to know what Fianna Fáil's position on this is. They hold their media-friendly publicity meetings in Crossmaglen and Downpatrick, but are they prepared to condemn a campaign to discriminate against dairy produce which is sourced in this part of the island? They can't court northerners while turning a blind eye to campaigns which could damage the livelihoods of people living up here.

Also, the 'National' Dairy Council should not be permitted to use that name- it clearly only represents dairy producers in part of the nation.

Yet again we see that for many, the idea of a united Ireland takes second place to the amount of change in their pockets.

Bomb In Forkhill

It was revealed yesterday that a group styling itself 'Óglaigh na hÉireann' had planted a 600lb bomb on the border near Forkhill. What was the purpose of this? We've already had soldiers and policemen murdered this year, with the only result being that several families have been left bereaved. Did these killings expedite the creation of a united Ireland? Absolutely not!

Not only was this bomb aimed at killing police officers, but it was dangerously close to a family home in an area where the bombers claim to represent the people. Like their provo predecessors, the well-being of their 'own community' comes second to the bloodlust armed groups like this.

I'm not sure what these people's strategy is, or if they have one. I would like to know though. In the meantime, let's hope no lives are lost as a result of any more violent actions of this sort.

Le Blogger El Matador Est De Retour

Apologies for my appaling lack of blogging lately. I've been really busy and although had intended posting some stuff on here over the summer, I never quite got around to it.

Since my last venture online we've had the European elections. There were plenty of predictions flying around before the poll, but I don't quite think that anyone expected the DUP to trail in in third place, failing to reach quota. Quite where Jim Allister goes from here remains to be seen, but if he can build a coalition around his particular brand of unionism, then he could potential do quite well in the Assembly. Of course, there's always the chance that it could become a one-man show- after all, how many other TUV members can the average punter name?

Meanwhile, the SDLP failed to make any inroads into the Sinn Féin vote. Indeed, the latter became the biggest party in the north in terms of votes for the the first time, a feat achieved by the former in the 1998 Assembly elections.

Down south, and the Lisbon Treaty Referendum campaign is in full swing. Fianna Fáil, suffering massively in the wake of the financial crisis and stuck in a coalition government that seems to be getting more fragile by the day, will be hoping that the no vote from last time will be reversed.

Apologies again for my absence, but I'll make it my autumn resolution to stay at the helm of good Ship El Blogador.

Clerical Abuse In The Republic Of Ireland

The full horror of abuse by members of 'religious' orders against innocent children was revealed today. Some say that this is a dark day in Ireland's history. I'd say every day that this activity went on and was covered up was a dark day- today is hopefully the start of the return of light.

However, I am deeply concerned that those who committed these disgusting crimes will not face justice. The Christian Brothers successfully sued the investigating commission in 2004 to keep the identities of all of its members, dead or alive, unnamed in the report. No real names, whether of victims or perpetrators, appear in the final document and its findings will not be used for criminal prosecutions. Shame on them. If they are truly sorry for their members' bahaviour, they should do everything they can to aid justice- not block the course of truth.

I also think that members of society who turned a blind eye to these activities and acted as if members of the clergy were demi-gods who were above question ought to hang their heads in shame. They were complicit in this evil.

The southern government must now take clear and decisive action to enable those who were the victims of clerical abuse to secure justice. It's the least that they can do given that it was their predecessors who enabled these crimes to happen in the first place.

Peelers and a cúpla focal

News that the Policing Board in Derry will hold one of its meetings in Irish this Tuesday. There will be simultaneous translation for those not fluent in the Irish. The press release I received was in (faultless) Irish and referred, by the way, to Derry and not Londonderry. (Don’t tell Gregory Campbell!)

Being very cynical – can’t help it – I have to admit that I was momentarily taken aback. It is certainly another one of those arresting (!) moments that makes you think, a welcome step. That said, I pass many PSNI stations – have never been in one – and notice that they have signs in Polish and other Eastern European languages at the front. Nothing in Irish. If the Policing Board are serious about promoting the language, then why don’t they include information in Irish at the entrance as a matter of courtesy?

Anyway, here is the press release:

Cruinniú Gaeilge le bheith ag an Bhord Póilíneachta i nDoire

Tionólfaidh Bord Póilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann a chéad chruinniú poiblí Gaeilge sa Bhálseomra Corantach, Óstán na Cathrach, Doire, Dé Máirt 19ú Bealtaine 2009 ó 7.30 – 9.00in. Ag an chruinniú seo, beidh deis ag baill de phobal na Gaeilge comhaltaí den Bhord Póilíneachta agus an tArdchonstábla Cúnta don Réigiún Tuaithe a cheistiú faoi cheisteanna póilíneachta anois agus sa todhchaí agus faoi na nósanna imeachta atá ag BPTÉ le teacht níos éasca a bheith ag pobal na Gaeilge ar phóilíneacht. Tabharfaidh an Bord fosta breac-chuntas ar a chur chuige i leith Teagmhála Pobail agus ar an dóigh a bhfuil sé ag obair le codanna den phobal le pobail níos sábháilte a chruthú.

Tear it down from the mast…

The issue of tearing down other party’s posters is one that regularly features at election time. The SDLP’s Declan O’Loan has already complained about republican harassment while trying to put up his party posters in North Antrim. I noticed some youngsters – about 12 years old or so – defacing a Sinn Féin Euro poster by writing “Heil Hitler!” and painting swastikas on it last night. Naturally, one deplores this kind of vandalism. (They came for the Sinn Féin posters but I was not a Sinn Féin poster…) Then again, was it vandalism or a statement by youthful, committed social democrats who recognised the neo-fascist elements in Sinn Féin’s politics and were alerting their community accordingly?

It’s the way he tells them…

Apparently, Belfast-born funny man, Frank Carson, has thrown his lot in with the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and wants Britain to leave the European Union. Carson is quoted as saying that he is disgusted with politics: “We need to get out of the European Union and ditch the human rights legislation.”

If memory serves me right, Carson, a Catholic, is also a Papal Knight who received his honour from the Pope for fund-raising for charity. Truly, one of the oddest political matches I have heard of in a while. What next? Ken Dodds for Sinn Féin?

Censorship At The Andersonstown News?

Lisburn councillor Matthew McDermott has decided to compile a dossier of censorship at the Andersonstown News.

According to Matt: "Over a year ago I decided to refuse an award from Belfast Media Group in protest of the Squinter/Adams stuff and ever since then the paper has censored me from their pages. Literally, cut me out of press releases and cut me out of photos when they printed them (but then published the full photo on their website)."

I haven't seen the report yet, but if this is true, it's a truly Stalinist and childishly hamfisted attempt to get back at Matt for daring to show them up. Given the history of censorship of the provos on TV during the Troubles, you'd think those times had passed now that we're in a more normalised era.

It's one thing having a editorial slant, but quite another to simply pretend that someone doesn't exist. Do the Andersonstown News not want to their readers to get the full story?

As I say, I haven't seen the report, but it'll be interesting to see.

SDLP European Party Election Broadcast 2009

Power to the people

The Independent has a nice feature today in which it lists a number of books whose popularity have risen as the economic downturn has taken its toll: “Socialist fiction, feminist theory, even Marxist tracts – thanks to the recession, the classic left-wing reads of yesteryear are back in vogue. But which titles really deliver power to the people?”

The paper offers an eclectic and international list with works by Marx, Engels, Rosa Luxemburg, Erich Maria Remarque, Mary Wollstonecraft, George Orwell, Franz Fanon and John Steinbeck.

Just for fun, I wonder which Irish books should be made compulsory reading to help us find our way out of our recession, to recast the national intellect into something more critical?

Here goes nothing: James Connolly and Labour in Irish History; Patrick Pearse’s Murder Machine and other essays; Ernie O’Malley and On Another Man’s Wounds; Peadar O’Donnell and Islanders; Hubert Butler and his essays in Independent Spirit; Bernadette Devlin and The Price of My Soul; Mark Patrick Hederman and The Haunted Inkwell; Seosamh Mac Grianna and Pádraic Ó Conaire agus Aistí Eile; Breandán Ó Doibhlin and his three collections of Aistí Critice agus Cultúir and Alan Titley and Chun Doirne.

‘Cowardly scum’

Mitchell McLaughlin’s characterisation of the people who attacked his home in Derry with a petrol bomb last night as “cowardly scum” is one with which few people would disagree. This is the third attack on the Sinn Féin MLA’s house. Thankfully, none of the McLaughlin family at home were injured physically – though one can only imagine how they feel at this point. It is only a matter of weeks since the last attack on McLaughlin and he remarked that that was part of political life here.

The attack highlights once again just how far the standards of civilised behaviour have fallen and how difficult it remains to convince some people that they have to win the political argument rather than simply visit violence on people with whom they disagree. In that regard, it was heartening to see Gerry Adams of SF, SDLP leader Mark Durkan, Ian Paisley of the DUP and political representatives from the Alliance Party and the UUP all stand together in the Assembly against this attack.

A lifetime ago in west Belfast, a school friend and I were arguing about the IRA: he was for them; I against. I mentioned some horrific brutality the IRA had committed to which my friend’s father said: “Scum people to do scum things.”

The father and his family were pro-IRA well before the Hunger Strikes. Indeed, the father had been interned by the British army (no pleasant experience) and the soldiers had smashed the house up in the course of the ‘arrest’. The family in question were (and are) lovely people by any standard and their acceptance of what the IRA did was total – if occasionally a little defensive when non-combatants were killed.

None the less, the father – a hard-working, honest, likeable man – was under no illusions as to what some republicans were called upon to do and were capable of doing. Scum people to do scum things. Almost 30 years on, the scum people who do scum things are still at work. They have no support; they have no intelligence; they have nothing to offer. Yet, still, they can terrify a family in such a vicious way – and all, supposedly, done in the name of Ireland.

Compare the petrol bombers with the real guardians of Irish culture. Yesterday hundreds of thousands of GAA supporters marked Lá na gClub. Clubs in Ulster were every bit as active as anywhere else in Ireland. You could not help but be impressed by the dedication of club activists and the way in which they have kept Gaelic games alive over 125 years. The day showed every thing that is best about Ireland and Irish culture: live for your club; live for your county; live for your country.